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<img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-9/solgen-calida-leonen-sm.webp" alt="Solicitor General Jose Calida" />
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(Solicitor General Jose Calida)
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In a Motion for Reconsideration, Solicitor General Jose Calida said the public disclosure of Leonen's SALN was guaranteed under the 1987 Constitution and for the sake of transparency.  It said:
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"The Solicitor General is making the request for purposes of possible court action as he represents the State in prosecuting actions for Quo Warranto."
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Calida and several of his assistants signed the appeal dated October 22, 2020.
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Calida said the high tribunal must set aside its ruling last September 15, denying the disclosure of the certified copies of Leonen's SALN from 1990 to 2011.  It stated:
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"Wherefore, premises considered , the Republic of the Philippines, through the Office of the Solicitor General , respectfully prays that: 1. the Resolution dated September 15, 2020 be reconsidered and set aside; 2. a new Resolution be issued granting the OSG's letter requests dated September 11, 2020 seeking copies of the SALNs and/or ancillary documents and information," according to the OSG appeal.
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"The 1987 Constitution , particularly Section 7, Article 3, of the 1987 Constitution on the right to information and section 28 of Article 2, requires full disclosure of the SALNs of Associate Justice Leonen."
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Calida argued that <i>"the outright prohibition to disclose the SALNs of Associate Justice Leonen is contrary to the spirit and intent of Republic Act 6713 and its implementing rules and regulations which promotes full access of the public to SALN, though the same may be heavily regulated."</i>
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Calida also stressed that the public must be given access to the SALNs and cannot be prohibited under the guise of a regulation.
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Aside from this, Calida pointed out that the OSG request conforms with the guidelines which the High Court itself has set under AM 09-8-6-C.
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The High Court disallowed the disclosure of Leonen's SALNs without giving any reason for its denial.
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Sources told The Manila Times that the Supreme Court denied the first petition of the OSG because it failed to comply with the requirements for its release and that the SALNs in question were not in the custody of the high tribunal but with the University of the Philippines (UP).
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Leonen became a Supreme Court magistrate in November 2012. Before this, he was a professor of the UP College of Law and chairman of the GRP Peace Panel.
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Quo warranto looms: Calida appeals to Supreme Court for release of Justice Leonen's SALNs